Tag: Coronavirus

COVID-19: NCDC To Increase Testing Capacity To 1,500 Per Day

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NCDC DG, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is set to increase its capacity to test for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to 1500 per day in the country.

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of NCDC, gave the reassurance at the Presidential Taskforce Briefing on COVID-19 on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ihekweazu said that the focus of NCDC efforts was to improve the number of people that could be tested.

“Last week, we had the capacity to test 500 per day, by the end of this week we will be at 1000 a day.
“By next week we are hoping to get to 1500 a day, “ he said.

Ihekweazu, however, said that Nigerians need to reduce the demand side of the testing to those who really needed it.

He noted that the more the people force themselves into being tested, the less NCDC would have the capacity to test those who really need the testing.
Ihekweazu said that these people that really need the testing would be transmitting it into the community and more people would get infected.
According to him, by testing those that do not need it, people are blocking the system and there’s a price to pay.

In a related development, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq , said that the ministry was unrelenting in its school children feeding.

She said, rather, the ministry would liaise with the state governments to work out the modalities to know how to go about the programme, despite the stay-at-home directive.
Farouq also disclosed that the ministry has about 2.6 million poor and vulnerable households on its social register.

She said that, so far, the ministry had reached out to about 1 million indigent people.

COVID-19: Lawyers, Litigants To Use Online Communication, Appeal Court Directs

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The Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dogban-Mesem, has urged lawyers and litigants seeking to access the court, to do so through online communication, saying the directive was to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Justice Dogban-Mesem, in a fresh operational directive for the Court dated March 30, ordered that all matters pending before Divisions of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun State, should cease.

She based the order on the ongoing 14-day lockdown directive by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Owing to the lockdown directive, the Acting PCA, stated: “I hereby issue an interim practice directive that all matters pending before the Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun State shall cease in compliance thereof.

“Meanwhile, all Court proceedings for States not mentioned in the Presidential lockdown Directive of 30/03/2020 shall continue in line with the Directives issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Dr. Tanko Muhammad CFR on 23/03/2020.

“The Bench and the Bar are enjoined to strictly observe the guidelines on Social Distancing as directed by the National Centre for Disease Control.
“Counsel and Litigants present in court should be limited to 20 Persons maximum at all times.

“The use of ICT via online communication is hereby encouraged as much as practicable to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“All Hon. Justices and Staff members of the Court are enjoined to support the efforts of the Federal Government by observing all guidelines”.

COVID-19: Ivorians Skeptical About Fairly Used Clothes From Europe

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The outbreak of COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on Abidjan’s second-hand goods and clothing market.

At the Angré market, a neighborhood north of the city, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a drop in activities as traders and consumers fear catching the new virus through the purchase and use of second-hand clothes.

Zossou Junior Kings, a salesman told the media: “The clothes we sell in Africa come directly from Europe. So once they are infected there and then it comes to Africa, it can also infect you.

“So if the government can help us in this business by controlling what leaves the European continent to come to Africa and control it directly at the port.”

Although statistics on the rate of patronage of second-hand clothing in the country is not readily available, traders say its purchased by all classes of people.

Lobue Keren, a shopper said: “I once wore what we call second-hand clothes but i got spots all over me. Even though I washed them and dried them afterwards I saw spots on my body. So I stopped (buying second-hand clothes) and prefer to buy new clothes.”

The Government of Ivory Coast has introduced a curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The country has closed all of its borders while the number of cases of contamination has exceeded 80 since Wednesday.

COVID-19: Lagos State; 7-yr-old Princess And Her Sister Donate N4,210 Life-savings To FG

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A seven-year-old girl and her eight-year-old sister have broken their lifetime savings and decided to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the fight against coronavirus.

The girls, Princess, 7, and Vera Akpa, 8, donated N1,850 and NN2,350 respectively.

In her letter, which was exclusively made available to Vanguard and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vera narrated that she intended to give her saving to an orphanage in Warri, Delta State, but the coronavirus pandemic made her change her mind, explaining that the “the need of the country is vital to me.”

“How do send the money to the Federal Government? Much love for my country and my president,” the letter reads.

Princess in her address to Lagos State governor told a story of the widow in the bible that “donated little money of no value to the temple, but she was appreciated by God.”

“My current saving is N1,850, which I intend to use for a big cup of vanilla ice cream, but saving lives is more important to me. Please accept this token from me from my heart as a donation to help the Lagos State government fight coronavirus…”

COVID-19: Panic In Delta State As Prices Of Foodstuffs, Others Skyrocket

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Deltans, engaged in panic of foodstuffs and other essential commodities ahead of tomorrow’s (today) total shutdown of the State as part of steps to contain the spread of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic in the State.

The State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa had on 26th March announced that the State would be completely lockdown to movement within or outside the State from April 1.

Our Correspondent reports people were seen at the Ogbogonogo, Midwifery markets, shopping malls and supermarkets buying foodstuffs and other items in large quantities apparently to stock their homes to avoid food shortage during the period of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, prices of commodities such as garri, onions, tomatoes, pepper, fish, rice, vegetable oil, red oil and other items had gone up with over 100 percent.

Our Correspondent, reports that a bucket of garri which being sold for N400 had risen N1800, bag of rice which was selling for N20,000 had gone up to N35,000, and 4 litre vegetable oil risen from N3,000 to N3,800.

Preventive materials like face mask which was selling for N150 had gone up to N600, and alcohol based hand sanitizer which was selling for N200 has jumped to N1000.

Our Correspondent however observed that hand washing facilities were placed at strategic points leading into the market for those going in and out to buy or sell to wash their hands.

Commercial banks which opened to customers from around 10 am to about 12 noon due to shut down of their systems from their headquarters, maintained social distancing rule as not more than 20 persons were allowed go in at a time.
Some of the Banks erected canopies and provided seats at their entrance for customers while they await their turn.